Google announces the new Chromecast

The second-gen Chromecast hardware is finally here.

Read the whole story

 

[nbs2]

Pacing of the presentation is way off. Skip over a lot of details for the phones, spend a ton of time on those of the chromecast.

I've been waiting for ac, I've got my money, now just tell me how soon you want it.

Edit: money given.

 

[Damnicus]

DrDenim[/url]":28wp4vjh]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

Yes, yes, and not really.

 

[Kilroy420]

DrDenim[/url]":2pr5h7ne]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

I never had an problems with the original Chromecast. Even using it on business travel to plug into the HDTVs in the hotel rooms to ride off my phone's WiFi hot spot was painless.

All in all, it was a great device for $35

I hope they manage to keep the low price point. The originals made good stocking stuffers for Christmas too.

 

[nbs2]

DrDenim[/url]":2yq0sr1x]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

I was generally happy with it with my iPhone and desktop. Other than faster network speeds, the other thing I would have liked was ad hoc networking for when I travel. Until it collapsed, it was the feature I was most excited for with Matchstick.

 

[Ars of Ares]

The moment you open the Netflix app, Netflix detects you have a Chromecast and pre-loads the app on the TV

I hope this doesn't mean the Chromecast switches inputs automatically. We had a problem with that on my wife's Kindle. I'd be playing PS3 or whatever, and she'd fire up Netflix on her Kindle - and it would engage the Chromecast, which would switch inputs on the TV. It got annoying very quickly.

e: To be clear, I want Chromecast to switch inputs - when I want to cast. I just don't want it to switch inputs when I want to watch something on my phone or tablet. Adjusting the settings on the TV would block both.

The behavior stopped on the Kindle Netflix app, so maybe they have it figured out. Hopefully.

 

[Oletros]

DrDenim[/url]":6dbfr12f]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

Reviews on Appleinsider?

 

[Chemical Tribe]

So what's the model numbers

 

[DrDenim]

Oletros[/url]":21y947da]

DrDenim[/url]":21y947da]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

Reviews on Appleinsider?

Lol, close. The Verge I think..

 

[TomXP411]

DrDenim[/url]":3jkj4zvb]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

So the thing about Chromecast is that it relies on the apps to work. Unlike Apple TV, which works with anything on your iPhone (to varying degrees), Chromecast relies entirely on the app's ability to ship a link or content over to the 'cast.

This is both good and bad: it means apps like NetFlix can display content on the Chromecast, regardless of the platform. The bad is that many apps aren't going to get support at all, and for competitors like Amazon Instant Video, we can probably never expect comprehensive support.

 

[tedwick]

DrDenim[/url]":37eiicqx]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

Reviews from who? Think Chromecast is probably the most used gadget in my house. Navigating via phone is kinda meh, but it beats the hell out of navigating using a remote a la Apple TV/Xbox/Roku/etc. However, easiest way to drive it is via a computer. I usually find content on my laptop while in the living room (Netflix, Youtube, Google Music) and cast from there. Far easier than using a phone.

WRT the iPhone... it's platform agnostic via SOAP, so if the apps she uses are Chromecast enabled, they should work. I know it works from the Netflix app on iOS at least.

 

[Ars of Ares]

DrDenim[/url]":1uil24ck]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

Our friends never have a problem using it with their iPhones when they come over. The only time it ever lags for us is when we try to cast from the Google Photos site (which is disappointing). Early reviews were positive, so I'm not sure what you were reading.

 

[tedwick]

Chromecast Audio is basically a "Let Me Give You Money" buy for me. I've tried hacking a Chromecast stereo system together out of old Android devices, but nothing beats native support.

 

[DrDenim]

TomXP411[/url]":30ep3o7e]

DrDenim[/url]":30ep3o7e]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

So the thing about Chromecast is that it relies on the apps to work. Unlike Apple TV, which works with anything on your iPhone (to varying degrees), Chromecast relies entirely on the app's ability to ship a link or content over to the 'cast.

This is both good and bad: it means apps like NetFlix can display content on the Chromecast, regardless of the platform. The bad is that many apps aren't going to get support at all, and for competitors like Amazon Instant Video, we can probably never expect comprehensive support.

Right. No amazon VOD is lame, maybe a deal breaker. With netflix and amazonVOD we can cut cable. But especially now that netflix remove more and more stuff amazon is necessary (even though the app is garbage)

 

[Terabitman]

Ars of Ares[/url]":jg87igrb]

The moment you open the Netflix app, Netflix detects you have a Chromecast and pre-loads the app on the TV

I hope this doesn't mean the Chromecast switches inputs automatically. We had a problem with that on my wife's Kindle. I'd be playing PS3 or whatever, and she'd fire up Netflix on her Kindle - and it would engage the Chromecast, which would switch inputs on the TV. It got annoying very quickly.

That should be controllable through the TV. At least I can turn it off on my Phillips.

 

[DrDenim]

tedwick[/url]":yiiquknr]

DrDenim[/url]":yiiquknr]I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

Reviews from who? Think Chromecast is probably the most used gadget in my house. Navigating via phone is kinda meh, but it beats the hell out of navigating using a remote a la Apple TV/Xbox/Roku/etc. However, easiest way to drive it is via a computer. I usually find content on my laptop while in the living room (Netflix, Youtube, Google Music) and cast from there. Far easier than using a phone.

WRT the iPhone... it's platform agnostic via SOAP, so if the apps she uses are Chromecast enabled, they should work. I know it works from the Netflix app on iOS at least.

I guess I like that I can navigate, and wait on, netflix on the PS3 in the background while using my phone at the same time. Having to wait for the netflix app to load etc on my slow-ass phone means I'm using two screens to watch one..

 

[lewax00]

I only remember reading inital reviews of the chromecast saying it was pretty garbage. Laggy, lacking features and pretty useless. Did it ever get better? Does it work with my wife's iphone? Having to navigate with my phone kinda sounds like a pain (waiting for apps etc)

It depends on your use case. It's laggy when casting interactive things (like casting your desktop, web pages you're trying to demo, etc.). It's great for video on web pages (the video will be little behind your computer if you're casting it as a tab, but it will run smoothly, i.e. it's a latency issue, not a bandwidth one) and pretty much perfect for video from apps that hook in directly (like Netflix, Plex, and HBO Go). I believe in-app support is possible from the iPhone. And I find navigating with my phone to be a much better interface than navigating with a remote.

All in all, I have 2 Chromecasts and an Android TV (Nvidia Shield) that supports casting. Since the second one has been supplanted by the Android TV, I leave it attached to an extra monitor that has HDMI audio support and plop it down when I want to watch something where there isn't a screen (like the kitchen while cooking). They're great little devices, IMO.

 

[Ars of Ares]

You can cast your screen for Amazon VOD, but it doesn't look great. It's really lame that Amazon only recently put their app on Android; I don't expect Amazon to support Chromecast any time soon (despite vocal desire for it).

 

[Ars of Ares]

Terabitman[/url]":2jflu5ls]

Ars of Ares[/url]":2jflu5ls]

The moment you open the Netflix app, Netflix detects you have a Chromecast and pre-loads the app on the TV

I hope this doesn't mean the Chromecast switches inputs automatically. We had a problem with that on my wife's Kindle. I'd be playing PS3 or whatever, and she'd fire up Netflix on her Kindle - and it would engage the Chromecast, which would switch inputs on the TV. It got annoying very quickly.

That should be controllable through the TV. At least I can turn it off on my Phillips.

That's just it: I want Chromecast to switch inputs - when I want to cast. I just don't want it to switch inputs when I want to watch something on my phone or tablet. Adjusting the settings on the TV would block both.

The behavior stopped on the Kindle Netflix app, so maybe they have it figured out. Hopefully.

 

[test6554]

Uggghh. I literally just bought thousands of dollars worth of Sonos "connect" gear last month to control my existing speakers around the house. Before I jumped in, I asked around if there was a chromecast for audio. Nobody had heard of such a magical device.

As for chromecast, it's central to my whole media setup. I cast my plex media server via chromecast. Now that I have it near my router the quality is much better. Granted I also have Amazon Fire TV which works with plex and sling.tv and is equally awesome.

 

[lockwoodisbored]

Ars of Ares[/url]":2uititf6]

The moment you open the Netflix app, Netflix detects you have a Chromecast and pre-loads the app on the TV

I hope this doesn't mean the Chromecast switches inputs automatically. We had a problem with that on my wife's Kindle. I'd be playing PS3 or whatever, and she'd fire up Netflix on her Kindle - and it would engage the Chromecast, which would switch inputs on the TV. It got annoying very quickly.

There's a simple solution for that - get a new wife.

 

[sttm]

Am I the only one who thinks they look a bit like Beats headphones?

 

[Spuzzell]

Controlling a Chromecast from an Android tablet is pretty much foolproof, if it's an issue with your iDevice just buy a cheap tablet as a dedicated controller. (I know, iSacrilege)

However, I only use the Chromecast a couple of times a month for casting BT Sport, Eurosport and ESPN to a projector when I want to watch a sporting occasion on a huge screen.

Pretty much everything else (Amazon, Netflix, Plex) just run natively on my smart TVs without the need for any other hardware.

I like the Chromecast and for £20 it's worth picking one up for travel or occasional use as in my case, but the usage scenario for these is getting narrower with every new generation of TV.

It's not going to be long before the majority of people have TVs that do what Chromecast/Apple TV on their own.

(also, I'm pretty sure the existing Chromecast is more than happy handling 1080p)

 

[DrDenim]

test6554[/url]":2tmri3y8]Uggghh. I literally just bought thousands of dollars worth of Sonos gear last month and asked around if there was a chromecast for audio. Nobody had heard of such a magical device.

Lol, I bought two sonos' last year too. But considering how janky and drop-support-in-a-year google stuff is I think I'm glad I went with Sonos.

 

[davidlars]

Do I need to buy a new Chromecast to get Spotify support?

Update: No Spotify updates available. And no update pushed out to my Chromecast yet.

Update: According to The Verge, Spotify support will roll out to the original device within a few weeks. Great! It's the biggest issue I have with it atm.
www.theverge.com/2015/9/29/9409673/goog ... fy-support

 

[Damnicus]

New ChromeCast page just went live

https://www.google.com/intl/en_us/chromecast/

EDIT: Oh, and Nexus: https://www.google.com/nexus/

 

[DrDenim]

Spuzzell[/url]":4gc6plha]Controlling a Chromecast from an Android tablet is pretty much foolproof, if it's an issue with your iDevice just buy a cheap tablet as a dedicated controller. (I know, iSacrilege)

However, I only use the Chromecast a couple of times a month for casting BT Sport, Eurosport and ESPN to a projector when I want to watch a sporting occasion on a huge screen.

Pretty much everything else (Amazon, Netflix, Plex) just run natively on my smart TVs without the need for any other hardware.

I like the Chromecast and for £20 it's worth picking one up for travel or occasional use as in my case, but the usage scenario for these is getting narrower with every new generation of TV.

It's not going to be long before the majority of people have TVs that do what Chromecast/Apple TV on their own.

(also, I'm pretty sure the existing Chromecast is more than happy handling 1080p)

Used my MIL's samsung smart TV. Yeah no thanks.

And my TV is only 5 years old. Hope to keep it another 5-10. It's way cheaper to buy a $35 or $99 device than a new TV when my plasma still looks great.

 

[BuenosAires]

I was really looking forward to the chromecast audio. But at u$s 35 it's a little too expensive for me. I'd rather plug an old android phone and use the app.

 

[stjns]

DrDenim[/url]":kl63icdm]

test6554[/url]":kl63icdm]Uggghh. I literally just bought thousands of dollars worth of Sonos gear last month and asked around if there was a chromecast for audio. Nobody had heard of such a magical device.

Lol, I bought two sonos' last year too. But considering how janky and drop-support-in-a-year google stuff is I think I'm glad I went with Sonos.

Yeah, that hasn't been the case with the Chromecast. Like the article said, the device itself is two years old and still works great. Some Google stuff is janky, for sure (looking at you, Nexus Player), but the Chromecast is awesome.

As much as I'm tempted to buy the new one, I really have no reason to; the current gen still works great for casting Google Play Music, Pandora, and Netflix, which is pretty much my entire usecase. I am sure to buy a few of the Audio versions once the synchronization update is released, however. It's about time someone gave Sonos a proper run for their money. I hope this device can do it.

 

[filburt]

It's probably a cost issue, but I think Google should've figured out a way to make them a single device. $35 for ChromeCast 2 (video) is a bargain but $35 for ChromeCast Audio seems like a rip off in comparison (even though it may not be).

 

[WagonWheelsRX8]

I'm still confused why Chromecast is so popular but similar (and more useful) devices like the Miracast dongles are almost unknown.
I guess they are slightly pricier ($50 vs $35) but they don't have the same limitations, either.

 

[Spuzzell]

DrDenim[/url]":cnjyb3am]

Spuzzell[/url]":cnjyb3am]Controlling a Chromecast from an Android tablet is pretty much foolproof, if it's an issue with your iDevice just buy a cheap tablet as a dedicated controller. (I know, iSacrilege)

However, I only use the Chromecast a couple of times a month for casting BT Sport, Eurosport and ESPN to a projector when I want to watch a sporting occasion on a huge screen.

Pretty much everything else (Amazon, Netflix, Plex) just run natively on my smart TVs without the need for any other hardware.

I like the Chromecast and for £20 it's worth picking one up for travel or occasional use as in my case, but the usage scenario for these is getting narrower with every new generation of TV.

It's not going to be long before the majority of people have TVs that do what Chromecast/Apple TV on their own.

(also, I'm pretty sure the existing Chromecast is more than happy handling 1080p)

Used my MIL's samsung smart TV. Yeah no thanks.

And my TV is only 5 years old. Hope to keep it another 5-10. It's way cheaper to buy a $35 or $99 device than a new TV when my plasma still looks great.

Well, I freaking LOVE my Samsung. The remote is both voice activated and has gesture controls with an onscreen mouse cursor, and the TV itself is a quadcore speed demon.

My Sony is less user friendly but is a 2013 model.

I absolutely understand where you're coming from but as I say, the number of people in your situation who need these devices is decreasing rapidly every day.

 

[Beefalo]

Why the redesign? The current USB-like design of the Chromecast fits nicely with my other cables and peripherals behind my receiver, but the new model looks awfully chubby.

 

[stjns]

filburt[/url]":95pkt6pq]It's probably a cost issue, but I think Google should've figured out a way to make them a single device. $35 for ChromeCast 2 (video) is a bargain but $35 for ChromeCast Audio seems like a rip off in comparison (even though it may not be).

I guess it's a relativity thing. It seems strange that it's the same price, but when compared to other products with similar capabilities, it seems like an incredible bargain to me.

 

[Spuzzell]

WagonWheelsRX8[/url]":1ckt1dm6]I'm still confused why Chromecast is so popular but similar (and more useful) devices like the Miracast dongles are almost unknown.
I guess they are slightly pricier ($50 vs $35) but they don't have the same limitations, either.

Again, might be that so many TVs support Miracast natively.

 

[TomXP411]

Ars of Ares[/url]":3iblzbg0]You can cast your screen for Amazon VOD, but it doesn't look great. It's really lame that Amazon only recently put their app on Android; I don't expect Amazon to support Chromecast any time soon (despite vocal desire for it).

The last time I looked, Instant Video didn't even support HDMI out - it just mirrored the iPad's screen, 4:3 and all.

I think Amazon is really focused on supporting their own stuff first and everyone else second. It's kind of frustrating, since Amazon video is supported on a lot more devices, including all the game consoles and computers... but it's somewhat crippled on most of those devices, thanks to not being able to buy content on the apps.

 

[stjns]

I don't think it was mentioned if the audio synchronization bit will work with the new Chromecast as well, or only on the Audio version. Did anyone see anything indicating one way or the other?

 

[DrDenim]

Bodacious[/url]":1sieh0ox]

DrDenim[/url]":1sieh0ox]

test6554[/url]":1sieh0ox]Uggghh. I literally just bought thousands of dollars worth of Sonos gear last month and asked around if there was a chromecast for audio. Nobody had heard of such a magical device.

Lol, I bought two sonos' last year too. But considering how janky and drop-support-in-a-year google stuff is I think I'm glad I went with Sonos.

Yeah, that hasn't been the case with the Chromecast. Like the article said, the device itself is two years old and still works great. Some Google stuff is janky, for sure (Nexus Player), but the Chromecast is awesome.

My comment was as much about Android as Chromecast. I kinda hate android. It's often buggy and unfinished. I just hate iOS more.

With no amazon VOD support unfortunate I think I'll have to wait for Roku 4. Bad enough looking for shows across 3-4 services, so don't want to have to use several devices as well. "Is this show on netflix or hulu or amazon? Which of the 3 inputs is that on again??" ugh what a nightmare
#firstworldproblmes..

 

[Ars of Ares]

Spuzzell[/url]":2ps7vigk]

WagonWheelsRX8[/url]":2ps7vigk]I'm still confused why Chromecast is so popular but similar (and more useful) devices like the Miracast dongles are almost unknown.
I guess they are slightly pricier ($50 vs $35) but they don't have the same limitations, either.

Again, might be that so many TVs support Miracast natively.

I never got into the Miracast thing because I didn't want to mirror my device. With Chromecast, you don't have to. Though it will mirror your device, if you want, which kind of negates the 'more useful' argument favoring Miracast. Granted, Chromecast didn't always support screen mirroring.